It's World Curlew Day today! Friday 21 April 2023. The curlew has always been one of my most favourite birds. When they return to my home patch - the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) - in the springtime, every year, they herald the promise of warmer times... of colourful hay meadows... of … Continue reading World Curlew Day!
Cape Wrath or bust!
It's been almost two years since I blogged - what with one thing or another I haven't quite managed to 'put pen to paper'. But this happened in May this year and I need to put some thoughts down to (mostly) help me to process it! I'm not sure who the audience is for my … Continue reading Cape Wrath or bust!
105 miles in a week or bust!
**I've not blogged much this year - what with one thing and another I've not really felt much like it... this one's a bit of a long one though - so get yourself a brew and put your feet up** So 2020 has been a bit of a wash out so far - in so … Continue reading 105 miles in a week or bust!
Welcome back to the North Pennines
***Warning*** This blog was created in June 2020 as an immediate response to coming out of the first COVID-19 Lockdown in England. It was last updated on 5/August/2020. Since then things have become more complicated that I think anyone could have imagined. Consequently it should be viewed as a historical listings now. If you are … Continue reading Welcome back to the North Pennines
Celebrating the Dark!
...marking International Dark Sky Week – 19 to 26 April 2020 The North Pennines is a stunning upland landscape of open heather moors, dramatic dales, tumbling upland rivers, wonderful woods, inky-black night skies, close-knit communities, glorious waterfalls, fantastic birds, colourful hay meadows, stone-built villages and intriguing imprints of a mining and industrial past. Seventeen years … Continue reading Celebrating the Dark!
The North Pennines – A Slow Tourism Destination?
... tumbling waterfalls, sweeping moorland views, dramatic dales, stone-built villages, snaking stone walls and friendly faces... High Force in Upper Teesdale, England's biggest waterfall, is probably the most visited place in the North Pennines and for many represents the qualities of the area - powerful, breathtaking and mesmerising There's no doubt that the North Pennines … Continue reading The North Pennines – A Slow Tourism Destination?
First curlews
I heard my first curlews yesterday - on the school run in the centre of Stanhope, Weardale. They weren't to be seen but the plaintive, lonely 'cour-leeee' was unmistakable. Hearing and seeing my first curlew of the year has become a bit of a watershed moment for me. It marks the beginning of the end … Continue reading First curlews
Searching for the Darkness
The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is the darkest mainland AONB and is one of the darkest places in England. Here it is still possible on a cloudless night to see thousands of stars and revel in the shimmering, shining river of stars which is our home galaxy - the Milky Way. … Continue reading Searching for the Darkness
Star Count 2020
Every year CPRE The countryside charity aka the Campaign to Protect Rural England run a campaign to get people looking up and counting stars. It's all about highlighting how important our night skies are and getting people to think about light pollution and how to reduce it. All you have to do is between now … Continue reading Star Count 2020
To offset or not to offset
This piece is thought-provoking stuff. In summary offsetting doesn't let travellers off the hook in terms of an overriding need to reduce carbon emissions. When you travel/fly/whatever the carbon dioxide goes directly into the atmosphere and immediately starts to contribute to climate change. Offsetting schemes - even if they work - won't have an impact … Continue reading To offset or not to offset
North Pennines Shane 